ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - (Aug. 24, 2017) - Beginning tomorrow, Albuquerque will welcome more than 1,000 attendees for the 2017 Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Annual Conference. This conference is the only showcase dedicated to student and youth travel in all of North America, and is estimated to bring in more than $1.2 million in direct spend to the city.

"Albuquerque is extremely honored to have been selected to host this prestigious conference, which is known as the premiere marketplace for student and youth travel," said Visit Albuquerque President & CEO Tania Armenta. "As an industry segment that currently represents 23% of all global tourism revenue, the local community understands the importance and value of this market, and is excited to showcase Albuquerque's assets to conference attendees and student travelers alike."

From Aug. 25 to Aug. 29, more than 1,000 group travel planners, tour operators and business partners will gather at the Albuquerque Convention Center to connect on all things related to student and youth travel. On average, SYTA members move more than 3 million students a year. Research surrounding the student and youth travel industry currently shows that student travel domestically represents $5.6 billion in revenue.

SYTA Executive Director Carylann Assante, CAE is thrilled with the response to the Annual Conference and credits Albuquerque as the reason. "So many of our members have Albuquerque on their bucket list-and now they can check it off," said Assante. "In addition to the experiences offered as part of this conference, more than 200 attendees will be participating in sightseeing tours of Albuquerque's iconic offerings."

This prestigious meeting is not only open to conference delegates. For members of the community looking to get involved, there are events taking place that are open to the public, including the SYTA Youth Foundation Golf Classic on Friday, Aug. 25 and a 5K run/2K walk on Sunday, Aug. 27, as well as an online silent auction. On-site registration is welcome, and more information can be found on the SYTA website: http://sytaevents.org/conference2017/events/syta-youth-foundation.

Albuquerque's rich history, diverse culture, and thriving art scene provides an atmosphere for attendees that is reflective of the SYTA mission, and the city is looking forward to welcoming this conference to the heart of the Southwest and delivering an educational, fun and unforgettable experience for all attendees.

SYTA is the trusted resource for educators, administrators, parents, and travel professionals and will help you navigate everything you need to know about student and youth travel. Our members understand that travel is a key part of a complete education, and are committed to providing student and youth travelers with safe, rich, and rewarding travel experiences. For more information, visit www.SYTA.org.